


you got it all wrong

by AnneRQi (LilyLi)



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Multi, No Actual Cheating, but he's our outsider, carlos is an outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 06:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8239391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyLi/pseuds/AnneRQi
Summary: Cecil and Earl are confused. They're just trying to spend some time together, so why does everyone seem so mad at them?





	

Cecil smiled wide, teeth sharp and gleaming in the light, as he exited his broadcast booth to see Earl. “Early bird!” He called in delight. “What are you doing here?” He skipped to Earl, and with a twirl, he gave Earl a warm hug and a quick peck on the lips.

 

“Hey Cee, I thought we could go grocery shopping and make something for dinner together,” Early replied with a smile, a light blush dusting his pale and freckled skin. Cecil looked even more delighted, if that was possible.

 

“Of course I would _love_ to go grocery shopping with you!” He thrilled.

 

“Great, I was thinking I could make something relatively simple, maybe some salad and gluten-free lasagna…” said Earl as the two walked down the hall, hand in hand. Both men managed to miss the disapproving and disappointed looks the interns gave them.

 

“That sounds good, and not simple at all!” Cecil laughed.

 

“Lasagna is lot more simple than it seems, Cee. The prep shouldn’t take me more than 20 minutes, then I’ll just pop it in the oven for an hour.”

 

“Hmm, we should make dessert during that hour,” Cecil said with a wink.

 

“Oh, I have just the dessert in mind. All it really needs is some honey,” Early smirked.

 

“Mr. Palmer,” snapped a particularly intrepid intern, “I really don’t think that is appropriate.” Cecil and Earl paused.

 

“Well, alright, my apologies Intern Jeff. We’ll be out of your hair soon,” Cecil said slowly.

 

The intern just scowled and shook his head. “I really thought better of you Mr. Palmer,” he muttered, storming away.

 

“O-kay, that was weird, wasn’t it?” Earl asked after a moment. “What did you do to that poor intern for him to dislike you so much?”

 

Cecil shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know! We were perfectly fine this morning!”

 

“Well, nothing you can do about it now,” Earl said reasonably. Cecil nodded, slightly disheartened. “Hey now, don’t look so glum, Cecil. You can always talk to him tomorrow and work this out. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding or something. C’mon, the sooner we finish grocery shopping, the sooner we can get to dessert.” Earl gave Cecil a dirty smirk and Cecil brightened.

 

“You’re right! Let’s go!” Cecil bounced out the doors of the studio and they were soon on their way to Ralph’s.

 

10 minutes later, they parked and got out of the car. They linked their fingers together as they entered the store, Cecil grabbing a basket with his left hand, leaving Earl’s right hand free to grab the necessary items. As they entered the store, they noticed other customers passing by giving them disapproving looks or shaking their heads or muttering angrily. They shared a confused look before shrugging and continuing with their shopping.

 

A few minutes later, they spotted Josie and a few Erikas in the canned foods aisle. “Josie! How have you been?” Cecil called with a smile. Surprisingly, Josie frowned fiercely at them and the Erikas seemed to grow bigger, looming menacingly.

 

“Cecil Gershwin Palmer! I am so disappointed in you!” Josie admonished as the couple came to a stop before her. “Now, I know that Carlos is an Outsider, but that boy is crazy for you! Anyone with eyes could see that. Moreover, he has done a lot of good for this community and a lot of people have come to appreciate and care for him. This is not something that we can just turn a blind eye to.” Josie waved her hand at them. They looked at her blankly.

 

“Well, not that I’m not glad that Carlos is so welcomed in our community, but what are you talking about?” Cecil asked her. This just seemed to irritate Josie even more.

 

“What am I talking about? Did you seriously ask me that?” Josie turned to the angels. “Did he just really ask me that? Can you believe his nerve?!” The Erikas ruffled their wings in shared agitation.

 

“You mark my words, boy, Carlos has more than enough supporters in this town. You either get your act together or we’ll do it for you.” Josie sniffed, gave Earl a surprisingly fierce and frigid glare, then turned her back on them, the angels following suit. They walked away gracefully, righteous anger rolling off them in waves.

 

“What...what just happened?” Earl shrugged. “Ugh, I don’t get what is going on! Maybe it’s a new government-mandated confused and shame radio hosts day?” Cecil looked disheartened. It is one thing for a random intern who will most likely die in the next two weeks to reprimand him. But for Josie, who practically raised him after his mother disappeared, to be so disappointed in him hurt him deeply.

 

“I’m sure we’ll find out what’s going on soon. Based on what Josie said, it doesn’t sound like this even close to over. Let’s just finish and get home and spend time together,” Earl said, just as stumped by the encounter as Cecil. Cecil nodded, distracted and worried.

 

“I’m going to text Carlos real quick, see if he knows what is going on.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text before tucking it away again. He knew that it would take a while for Carlos to respond as he was engrossed in getting a paper published at this time. They quickly finished up their shopping, hunching somewhat at the looks they were receiving, and hurried out the door to head back home.

 

“Whew, if looks could kills,” Earl whistled as they got into their car and were finally hidden away from the glares of the other customers.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, in a lab next a pizza place, a scientist sighed in relief as he submitted the final draft of his paper. This paper was essential to obtaining an extension on his grant to stay in Night Vale and he was relieved to be done with it. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and glanced at his phone, surprised to see that his phone had blown up with numerous missed calls and text messages. With a raised eyebrow, he scrolled through his texts.

 

**“Ur an Outsider, but ur our Outsider.”**

**“If you need some free ice cream or a revenge killing, just drop by White Castle. We got ur back.”**

**“I don’t always lik u, but u deserve better.”**

**“I can be ur shoulder to cry on ;)”**

 

There were dozens of texts along the same lines, offering support and revenge on his behalf and comfort and unsolicited advice. There were even offers for sex and flirtations, all from the acquaintances and friends he made during his stay in Night Vale. But the problem was, they didn’t say what all of this was for.

 

He opened the first of a few voicemails on his phone and finally found the answer to confusion.

 

_“Look, Carlos, I really hate to do this, but somebody’s gotta,”_ says Steve Carlsberg voice. He can hear Steve take a deep breath, as if bracing himself. _“Okay, look Cecil is my brother-in-law and while we never got along, I never thought he would do this. But, I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and others have too. Carlos...Cecil’s cheating on you. He was seen holding hands and kissing someone else, someone that is definitely not you. And, look, you may be an Outsider, but you have earned your place. If you need a place to crash or something, you’re always welcomed here. You’re not alone, so don’t settle, okay? Okay.”_ Dial tone.

 

Carlos stands in the lab, stunned. “What…?” He breathes out to himself. “No, no, this is just...Steve’s lying, or mistaken, or something. No.” He opens the next voicemail, and the next, and the next, and they all say the same thing.

 

_“I’m sorry…”_

“... _but you deserve better…”_

_“...Cecil’s been cheating on you…”_

_“If you need anything…”_

 

While a part of Carlos felt touched by all the support pouring out from the community, the majority of him felt numb. Broken. Shattered. He collapsed back in his chair, listless. “This can’t be real,” he murmured to himself.

 

His phone buzzes with an incoming text, and he numbly opens it. It’s from Cecil. His finger hovers over the icon, uncertain. Finally, he opens the message.

 

**From: Ceec <3 **

**Just had the weirdest encounter w Jos nd Erikas at ralphs. Do you kno whats going on?**

**Love Ceec xxx**

 

The phone tumbled from his hands. What could he say? ‘Oh, yeah, everyone is pretty mad at you cheating on me, nbg’? Yeah, no, that’s not going to work.

 

He scrubbed his face. He’ll just...he’ll just spend the night in his lab. He knows it was supposed to be their first date night with Earl, but….

 

“Oh! Earl!” He exclaimed, relieved. “Oh. _Oh._ ” He laughed, giddy with relief. He opened his text from Cecil and replied with a quick text.

 

**To: Ceec <3**

**Yea, ill tell u nd early abt it when i get home. Omw now. XO**

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a tumblr post. Probably did not do it justice, but it is what it is. Hopefully, someone who is a better writer out there can do a better job?


End file.
